Threshold for high blood pressure lowered

New guidelines issued by the American Heart Association this week will increase the number of people in the U.S. diagnosed with high blood pressure.

The AHA has lowered the threshold from a reading of 140-over-90 to 130-over-80, which it estimates will means about half of American adults have what’s now considered high blood pressure. Previously, it was about one in three Americans.

UW Health cardiologist Dr. Heather Johnson says a big reason for the change is that research has shown those below the old threshold were still at risk for health issues associated with high blood pressure. She says the lower threshold will help more people realize they are at risk for serious health complications earlier on, which will hopefully encourage them to make important lifestyle changes.

“For a lot of people, this will be a wake-up call…this will be important information about their health and steps they can take,” she says.

High blood pressure can result in organ damage and is a major factor in developing heart disease, which is linked to one in three deaths in Wisconsin.